Stop Right There, Criminal Scum!
Rising social unrest means turbulent times even in the best of cities, and Nyon is far from the best of cities. Little surprise then that there is an ... altercation. As it happens, this altercation began in Iacon: a low caste worker, little more than disposable, released from her job without so much as a thank you. After so many millions of years of service, she seemed to feel a little more was due to her. So she took it. Torched the rest. Ran for it. Got shot. It wasn't Hot Rod or Rewind who found her semi-conscious on the streets of Nyon, but they are the ones who get the call that someone needs help getting away from the Enforcers. With Rewind's vast archives to hunt through for a path to a safehouse and concerns about Sky Spies fresh in Hot Rod's mind, they hit the tunnels below the city, where waste runs only a few steps removed. "--oh, she's out again," Hot Rod reports as he glances at the femme he's carrying-slash-dragging. Rewind's sole responsibility is navigation. No surprise he's not asked to help carry, eh? Rewind is glad not to be tasked with that, either. He'd be glad to help if he could, but it would be pretty useless, you know? So instead he focuses on what he CAN do- and if Hot Rod wants navigation, well, he has come to the right mech! It's enough to make Rewind puff up just a smidge with pride at the thought. Being dispoable, he's used to being seen as sort of... useless, so having a chance to DO something, BE something... to make a difference beyond just rote memorization of trivia at the library.... is actually pretty exciting. Fulfilling, even. Well- as long as they don't get caught. That would be bad. Very bad. Yes, focus. Focus is good. The small mech makes his way through the tunnel, concentrating on the map in his databanks. "Oh... Well, I think there's a fork in the tunnels just ahead- if we get to that, you might have a moment to rest while I map out the rest of the way." Down in the tunnels, there were... Noises. Noises caused by people. Voices and steps and NOISES. Which didn't sit very well with YX-939, not at all; no one else was stationed at this segment of tunnels. Panicked, the little sewer bot crouches behind some large pipes running against the floor. PEOPLE NOISES were happening. What if they were... GASP... Criminals?! Or worse, a surprise check from a supervisor?! He was doomed either way! Oh no oh oh no...! Given that they are aiding and abetting a fugitive with Enforcers on her trail -- well, criminals is probably a pretty fair label, actually. What else can you really expect in Nyon, though? Bunch of malcontents and dissidents. They are certainly easy to /spot/ as they head through he tunnels thanks to the lights painted along Hot Rod's frame that draws attention -- where else? -- to the flames on his chest. When you've got flames, you've got to make the most of them. It's just a law of nature. Like gravity. "Ugh, yes, let's take a break. I think I'm going to pull my arm out of my socket." As they get to the fork, Hot Rod unloads his burden to prop her up against the wall. He lets go ... and she leeeans, nearly falling, and he scrambles to catch her and shove her upright again. Good thing she's out or she'd be really disappointed by the quality of care. Rewind scrambles to help instinctively, too. Of course he can't do much, but he at least manages to catch the femme's head and prevent that from knocking against the wall. "Yes.... sorry I can't do more." He stops to stare at his meager little arms and flexes them... it's not impressive. Sigh. But he perks up, hopping onto a ledge and going through his databanks even faster. "At least I can try to help with these maps though." He chuckles and looks up to Hot Rod. "Heh, why is it that every time I work with you lately I wind up running around in a tunnel?" Aaaand, of course, them mystery people have stopped right next to the pipe he was hiding behind. Honestly, 939 probably shouldn't be nearly as surprised as he was by this turn of events; this was why he hated being stationed in Nyon, after all. Hesitantly, caaaarefully, the disposable peeks over the pipe. But just for a moment! Then, he ducks back down. They were... PEOPLE. But one was a disposable, so... A disposable... Assistant?! Suddenly, YX-939 pops right up from the pipes, looking startled and slightly disturbed! "Let's blame the Senate," says Hot Rod with a grin down at Rewind. "I know, I know: you're going to say, 'But Hot Rod, you always do that,' but I do that for a good reason! Honestly, if they didn't have the sky paved over with their spies--" He breaks off when YX-939 pops out, and loses his grip on the poor mystery femme again. If YX-939 was startled before, he's about to be that much more startled when the femme comes crashing down on him. Rewind looks up once again at hot Rod, and the small mech manages to display a good-natured humor about it all, despite the surroundings and circumstances. Though the mention of the spy system gets a somewhat unhappy glance upwards. He shakes his head briefly. "Yeah... well, you have reasons to be upset about that. We all do. I think this is the right choice, though. Unless of course they've managed to add spy tech to the turbo-rats..." He started that out as a joke, but then suddenly wonders...wait, /could/ they? And just as he thinks about turbo-rats, one pops up! He jumps back, startled! "Turbo-rat!!!" Then he blinks- wait... IS that a turbo-rat? YX-939 is, in fact, not a turbo-rat! ... And is the same size as you are, Rewind! YX-939 blinks in surprise as the femme's frame starts to fall in his direction; he jumps out of the way, letting the poor bot crash on to the large pipes he had been hiding behind. Oops. That'll probably hurt later. After a moment, the little bot -- who seems to be shaking a little -- ...Salutes? "Sir, if you're here for an inspection, this section is in good order, uh, sir!" "YX-939! YX-939! Ya down 'ere?" Of course, if things aren't a bit too busy already, a new voice joins the fray. Due to the accoustics and echoes in the tunnels, it is no immediately evident which direction the femanine voice is coming from. Nonetheless, someone is coming closer - someone who is an unknown in the currently tense situation. "Did you just call me sir?" asks Hot Rod. He sounds really offended. He's distracted from true outrage as he leeeans to haul the poor abused fugitive upright again. She looks dazed, briefly conscious and then out again. "If you ever tell Chromia about this, leave the dropping her bits out," Hot Rod asides to Rewind. He stills as a new voice is added, glancing down the tunnels toward the echoes. Rewind tenses... and then realizes that why NO, that is indeed NOT a turbo-rat! He blinks once more, relaxing a little. Scanning through his databanks, he searches for information about maintainence bots and cleaning patterns in this sector. "Oh...hi! Sorry I called you a turbo-rat! I got a little excited!" He rubs the back of his helmet sheepishly. He chuckles at Hot Rod. "No, I understand. I can be very... uh, diplomatic!" Then a new voice rings out, and the archivist looks over towards the sound. "....Hello?" Somehow, the new voice seems to spook YX-939 even more. He starts in surprise before looking down the hall. Then back to Rodimus. Then down the hall again. If he had a visible mouth, his jaw might have been opening and closing in mute stupefaction. It takes a while before 939 can even speak. "...Yes?!" He sounds so confused. Confusion often is present in Swivel's wake. Although in this case, it preceeds her arrivel, but only by a fraction. "Oy!" is the last sound heard before lights can be seen down the tunnel. The lights dance a bit to the cadence of footsteps. "Sounds like a lotter yer down 'ere! I' 27 w'ya gain?" comes chattering from the approaching femme as she dims he headlights on her chest. This gives th opportunity to see the femme, who although larger than YX-939, is small by most Cybertronian standards. It's true that YX-939 could be responding to the voice that called his name, but Hot Rod naturally decides that the 'yes' is to him. OF COURSE. "Don't do that." His attempt to sound authoritative clashes with his demand that 939 not call him sir, but the fact that Hot Rod looks a little ridiculous holding up a femme he's dropped /twice/ undercuts any actual authority. He certainly doesn't seem very /sir/-like. "That makes one of us," Hot Rod says to Rewind with a brief, crooked grin as he waits for Swivel to emerge from the shadows. "Hi," he says, and rather than wave his hand -- because his arms, after all, are occupied holding up an unconscious femme, he waves /her/ hand. Rewind looks in a little confusion from one 'bot to another and one voice to another. To his credit, he does keep running those maps and scans, charting a course while all this happens. "Hi" he states again to... whoever is listening, "there's.... well, there's US. I'm Rewind. As long as you're not a turbo-rat I'm pleased to meet you!" YX-939 looks to Hot Rod again, only this time seems a little unsure. "You... You ARE here for an inspection... Aren't you?" Oh no, did he make a mistake? Are these really criminals after all?! ...And Rewind is talking to him. "...Hi." But then it was back to Swivel, who, frankly, confused him more by the very fact that she was THERE. "I... I'm the only one stationed here right now. What are you doing here?" The petite femme stops short once she is able to see the full scene, which, to most, would look very comprimising to the, er, gentlemechs present. Her purple tinted optics go from Rewind, To Hot Rod, to thee unconscious waving femme, back to Hot Rod, and then finally upon her querry, YX-939. She is silent for just a moment, her optic ridges raised in some surprise. "'Allo," Swivel finally responds. She waves back to Hot Rod, and then looks at the incapacitated femme. She reserves any comments about that for now, and looks between Rewind and YX-939. She clears her vents and smiles pleasantly, despite being a bit dirty. "Wellum, sommer th'peeps call me 'Turbo-rat' bu'last I checked, I wun one. Call me Swivel instead," Swivel says cheerfully before walking over to YX and leaning down a bit. "Checked with o roster t'see where y'might be workin'. Dun ask 'ow I got tha' info. Jus' wanted ter b'sure y'were okay 'n all since th'whole thing w'ya gettin' shot at 'coz o' me." "What part about any of this--" Hot Rod gestures with the femme's arm again, indicating himself and his very unregulation paint job, the femme he is carrying, and then Rewind. "--says inspection to you?" He's failed to provide his name, and continues to forget, perhaps under the belief that everyone on the planet knows who he is. He frowns reflexively, asking, "Who's shooting you guys?" Rewind looks from the newcomers- to her looking at them dragging this femme through the tunnels- back to the newcomers. "....It's not what it seems, honest." He insists. Upon hearing Swivel's name, he says, "Swivel. Got it." He then blinks. "Uh- yeah, what Hot Rod said. /Shooting/?" YX-939 looks to Swivel in absolute shock. She... Came looking for him? Wait, she was able to check the roster?! "Are you a supervisor, too!?" This is a very confusing day for YX-939. However, at Hot Rod's admission to NOT being a supervisor, 939 takes a good two steps back; one of which is back over the pipes. "What are you doing down here, then!? Are you CRIMINALS!?" He sounds highly worried, now! "No, no, not a supervisor! I just did a 'livery fer one an.... ANYWAY!" Swivel glances at Hot Rod, the femme, then Rewind again, raising her optic ridges again seeming a bit confused. "Not what it seems....?" she asks, trailing off a bit. She glances at the femme. "I w'jus thinkin'... er rather's gunna ask if she needed a medic." Swivel straightens up, wondering how the two are going to respond to YX's question. She idly braces herself, in case things get ugly, yet again. "Criminal is a very narrowly defined term, you know," Hot Rod says like a total criminal. This is why Rewind is the diplomatic one and he isn't. "I mean, break one little law, and that makes you a criminal for life, doesn't it? Who knows. Maybe you're a criminal and you don't even know it. How about it? Ever slipped up, bent regulations a little? Criminal." Hot Rod glances at the femme he is propping up and then back at Swivel. "Yeah, she's on her way to one. She's stable, for now. So is anyone going to explain the shooting thing?" At closer inspection, maybe it's worth pointing out that someone at some point shot their silent friend in the side. Rewind now looks from Hot Rod to the newcomers and back. He doesn't look at ALL shifty about this, no not a bit. "Yeah...it's...all... relative, you know?" He looks up from trying to prop this unconcious femme's head up from the grime, video camera shining red on the side of his helmet. "I know that first impressions matter... it's sort of hard NOT to have that be the case. BUT, that said, sometimes first impressions are wrong! Just..." he lifts a finger up to make a point, "Just...sayin', that's all." YX-939 stares at Swivel for a good long couple of seconds. A delivery for a supervisor? So... So she's ALLOWED to be down here. She's on the job down here. Just like he is. That's settled; he actually seems to relax a little. Then it was back to Hot Rod and Rewind. "So you ARE criminals!" A pause. He looks at the unconscious femme "...With a... Person that was shot, so why are you asking us about a shooting?" The confusion returns! One such as Swivel cannot help but giggle at Hot Rod's little shpiel about criminals. Once she sobers up (and sober is a relative term) she looks between Hot Rod and the femme again. "Eh... summon' shot at this cleaner 'ere 'coz I was tellin truth an' they din 'lieve me. N'un got 'urt, though.... but uh, wha 'bout ther 'ole in tha femme? 'N why 'ent she gettin' t'a medic? I think sh'ought ta." "Look, all I'm saying is 'criminal' isn't exactly very /fair/." And Hot Rod clearly cares deeply about fairness. Glancing between Rewind and the femme, he answers Swivel without quite glancing at her: "Like I said, she's on her way. We're helping her get there. We just needed to take a shortcut." Through the tunnels. Under the street. Traipsing through waste. Definitely taking a total legit shortcut for totally legit reasons. "You about figured out the rest of our path?" Rewind is doing a lot of looking between people and it could almost make the poor mech a bit dizzy. So he refrains from that for now, instead concentrating on making sure the femme is as comfortable as he can make her. He nods his head as he does so. "Yes... shortcut. Sometimes you find yourself in situations that... well... call for improvisation, y'know? Because... well, because." He does stop and stare at swivel's comment. "The cleaning 'bot got SHOT? For...you telling the...truth?" Ok, now HE's getting confused. YX-939 huffs a little, but still looks very concerned about the situation. "This fast blue guy. Really tall." Wait, why was he sharing this information? "Uhm, uh, you're both... Criminals, and I should, uhm, report you!" Considering this was Nyon, would anyone come even if he called for security? "YX-939, reportin' 'em kin wait 'til we know ther femme's gotten 'elp. Life first, aye?" Swivel smiles and shrugs. "F'I was bigger, I'd offer ta take 'er as I kin get 'round these tunnels right good," Swivel explains. She doesn't seem overly bothered by Rewind or Hot Rod having an unconscious femme with them, or the idea that they may be criminal. "All /we're/ doing is helping an injured femme get to a medic," Hot Rod argues. "Nothing to report there!" He puts on his best smile to ease YX-939 away from the edge of reporting them. "Don't worry about it. We'll be out of here in just a few and you can go right back to doing -- whatever it was you were doing. Nothing wrong with helping people, right? That's not criminal." YX-939 looks to Swivel. She's down here on the job and isn't a disposable, which TECHNICALLY makes her his supervisor, right?! Certainly ranked above him, no matter how you look at it. So, 939 gives a small nod. "Help is more important... Right." Though, he gives Hot Rod a dirty look. Criminal. "Yes! See?" Rewind pulls up the name and address of the clinic. "DeltaSun Medical Clinic, Quadrant 45 Sector B." He taps on the video camera. "I'm an archivist, and it's my job to know ...well, everything that I can. So I'm helping /him/ take /her/ to DeltaSun. With..maps and stuff, since..." he flexes his weak little arms, "I don't exactly have the strength to DRAG her myself! But it's all on the up and up! Honest!" If Hot Rod and company thought they'd be safe in the catacombs, they couldn't be more wrong! Unfortunately for the crew, the sky spy network had spotted them moving underground, and immediately dispatched a squadron after them. Just as Hot Rod finishes speaking, bright searchlights can be seen probing the darkness right behind them. And one of them lands on the flame-painted mech. No surprise there, right? With that ridiculous paintjob, I mean come on did he expect -not- to be seen? Not criminal, right! "Halt!" A harsh voice calls out. "Stand down and turn over the fugitive immediately. You are in violation of subsection alpha-14259." "I ain't sayin' anytin' untoward's..." Swivel does not really get to finish speaking when she stops to stare at oncoming headlights. Uh oh. Authorities. Swivel tries to make herself seem small and unimportant, sidling over to where YX-939 is. She says nothing mmore, but merely watches to see what Hot Rod and Rewind do. YX-939 jumps at the sound of the booming voice and searchlights. He raises his hands immediately, a full on look of PANIC on his face. "I'M SUPPOSED TO BE HERE!" ...That probably doesn't help, actually. "YX-939, Waste and Repair Unit 43, Subunit C, SIR!" PANIC PANIC ALL OVER. Hot Rod looks all offended by YX-939's dirty look right up until that searchlight finds them. His expression flashes over to outrage, and he returns 939's look in kind, touched with an added edge of wounded betrayal. How could he. /How could he/. "You must've taken a wrong turn! Mistaken identity!" he shouts back down the tunnels, already nudging Rewind to get moving. Hot Rod does the opposite of turning the femme over: he makes a run for it. He picks a direction and goes rather than wait for Rewind to point out which was the right fork. Oh NO. Rewind jumps a little as bright lights and a oh-so-very-NOT-amused-sounding authoritative voice rings through the tunnel. The small mech is worried now. What if he gets arrested? He doubts jail is very kind to a disposable. And yet.... as he thinks of it, his jaw servos clench a bit under his faceplate. Despite appearances, he and Hot Rod ARE doing the right thing. And... he isn't going to regret that. Not ever. ...He hopes. Then Hot Rod makes a break for it. Welp- that solved that question. Rewind looks to YX "Oh yes- carry on then!" He waves to Swivel and hurries as fast as he can after the flame-bedecked mech. Nope, that trick isn't going to work on the Enforcers. "Police don't -take- wrong turns." One of them grouses as three speeder frametypes round the corner behind them. They're a lot like Shiftlock's alt mode, actually--after all, she is a tunnel speeder herself. They quickly scan YX, who seems cooperative, and it only makes sense he is here so they don't pay him much mind. Instead, they take off after Hot Rod, gaining on him every second because they are driving and he is running. "Stand down, civilian. Turn over the fugitive immediately, and no one will be harmed. If you do not comply, we will use physical force." YX-939 seems to deflate as he's scanned and passed by. Phew. Good. And it looks like Swivel was, as well, which means she really WAs supposed to be down here after all! He looks up at the femme with just a little bit of hero worship. Someone higher up who CARED and came to check up on him and everything. Swivel stands beside YX-939 with her hands out in front of her, palm up, as a gesture showing that she is not going to cause any trouble. She glances down at YX-939 for a moment, then back at the Enforcers. "Y'want we should clear out s'not t'be in ther way?" She glances down at YX and quietly says, "Y'kin a'ways get back t'yer task 'en this is all over." "Sorry, I'd love to, just a medical emergency!" Hot Rod calls. He squeezes into a side tunnel that requires he slip along sideways. Narrow as it is, the speeders won't be able to continue in alt mode. What direction are they going? WHO KNOWS. TO FREEDOM. "Rewind, come up with something amazing in your maps for me." Not that this is PRESSURE or anything. Rewind sputters to Hot Rod, "I- I can try! I...oh mech... this is BAD Hot Rod! I don't suppose you have a brilliant PLAN, do you? PLEASE tell me you're coming up with the most amazing plan that was ever planned! Okay? " Meanwhile he skims through his maps. "Alright! There's a hatch just up ahead- it leads to a big watse wtaer reservoir... lots of fallbacks and hatchways and false ends... we might be able to give them the slip there. If we don't fall off the edge into the big waste water tank itself. That... uh, that would be bad." He leaves out just WHY. "Ha! What are you, a doctor? The fugitive's medical needs will be attended to, don't you worry." The one at the front of squad calls out. He transforms and brings out one of those techvolt stun weapons, the other two following suit. The leader fires at Hot Rod as he follows the mech down the narrow passage, the others watching his back. One of them hangs back and pays attention to Swivel, though. "Well actually, you're pretty fast, right? You could help us out by putting these on any escape routes that might be ahead of us." He slaps several small round disc-like devices into her hand. "And get your friend help, too." he says, nodding at YX. "We'll pay you if we catch at least one of 'em." Combat: Prowl misses Hot Rod! Combat: Prowl partially hits Rewind for minor damage! YX-939 's optics practically light up at being given orders and... Promise of possible reward? REWARD?! For a disposable!? Ooh, he salutes extra hard this time! Then, he looks to Swivel, all super excited and feeling important! "The vents aren't big enough, but I know a bunch of pipes that might be!" Wide-eyed with surprise, Swivel just stares at the discs that were placed in her hands. In the past, most of the time her motto was 'if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of problem', and so when she might actually have a chance to be part of the solution, she isn't immediately sure what to do. But then she nods, and looks down at YX. "Guess we jus' gots promoted fer an errand." Swivel tucks away the objects, not asking what they do, and transforms. Revving her engines, she emits to YX "ya go left, I'll go right, an' 'e kin try'n cut 'em off." "Of course I am!" Fear not, Rewind: Hot Rod's got it. He is on /fire/. (Not literally.) "My brilliant plan is you find a way out." ... Yeah, that's his plan. He slips as fast as he can, even dimming his lights. It might make it harder for him to see where he's going, but he's not quite such a nice target in the dark, either. The first shot misses. "HA." Rewind waits for it...waits for it...this is exciting, Hot Rod at work, now he'll see why Hot Rod's the leader here and yes this'll be amazing and- "WHAT?" The small mech is taken by surprise- enough so that he actually stumbles and slows a moment... and that's just enough time for the Enforcers to shoot once more, grazing a foot. It hits a well padded part of his pedes, and thus doesn't drop him like a rock- but it *does* sting, and it causes him to stumble even more. "Gah!" He lands on his hands and feet, then tries scramvbling back up again. But ouch... speaking of fire, he is FEELING like he's ON fire right now. Not in a good way, either. "I...Ow! Uh... Working on it..." He's not going to neccessarily tell Hot Rod that he just got hit, nor insist that the other mech help him. He's a disposable, getting left behind is his...well, it's kind of his job anyway. But he does tell Hot Rod, "Turn *left* up ahead, and watch out for that tank! DON'T fall in! There's... bad things there, okay? The clinic is just three blocks once you reemerge on the street above..." Yes, he's trying to give Hot Rod directions- since he's not sure he'll be around much longer at this rate. The archivist keeps trying to run- it's just difficult enough when you're as small as he is, in a tunnel, and now your feet feel on fire. YX-939 is not a very fast little bot. See, as a sewage bot, he wasn't really MADE for speed. If anything, he was made for the opposite. So, even in vehicle mode, the little disposable just... Can't keep up with Hot Rod. Maybe Rewind, though...! He doesn't know what the discs do, but, by golly, was he gonna PUT THEM PLACES. With any luck, Rewind was going to take this tunnel and try to use these giant sewage pipes as a shortcut. The waste is only ankle deep on his own frame, surely a puddle to the larger guys...! As Swivel and YX make their way ahead, they can see that indeed, sewage pipes and other passages line the walls--possible escape routes for the fugitive and her rescuer. All they need to do is just that--put them places that are open, to make them -closed- instead. The officer nods in approval as the two neutrals accept the offer. "Good luck," he grins and goes back to shooting at Hot Rod. The squadron continues to advance on Rewind and Hot Rod's position, still attempting to hit both of them with those diffraction beams. "Give it up, you're getting away from us--not down here!" Combat: Prowl partially hits Hot Rod for minor damage! Combat: Prowl misses Rewind! Delegating is a really important part of being a leader, /okay/. Really important! "All right there?" Hot Rod asks, not as oblivious to Rewind's stumble and fall as one might expect. He doesn't stop, but he does check, glancing back. That Rewind might be giving further directions for a reason does not seem to occur to him. "Bad things like push-enforcers-in bad things, or bad things like don't-do-that-either?" Hot Rod get caught by a shot, just briefly grazed, but it's enough for him to realize what made Rewind stumble. He hisses in surprise. "Go ahead of me," he says, waiting until Rewind has ducked ahead before taking the turn that pulls them out of line of sight. HA HA CAN'T SHOOT THEM NOW. ...until they catch up. Killing his lights, Hot Rod waits just around the corner, and carefully, quietly lowers the femme. Having been often told to delivery things discretely, Swivel had time to memorise a lot of interesting shortcuts or well hidden passages down abouts places like this. She has even forcefully squeezed herself through some of the larger pipes just so no one bigger could follow her. Swivel's tires are made to deal with less than ideal situations, and muck and grime are no deterrant to her. Swivel cdrives along a line parallel to the route Hot Rod took to make his escape. She knows there is a maintenance junction up ahead and she is doing her best to get there before HOt Rod. It just so happens that as her turns into said Junction there he is, as he'd taken that very junction to get out of line of sight. There is the squealing of brakes being slammed echoing throughout the tunnels. "Bad things like... don't-do-that-either. Unless you just /really/ hate those Enforcer guys, and don't mind rumors of water monsters eating people. Oh, or mind that big water turbine generator that sort of slices and dices and whirls the wastewater around as it gets filtered again. The one not just so happens to be not too far from the big drop off. It's almost like a plot contrivance or something! Ha!" He huffs and puffs (not really, he doesn't breathe, but close enough Okay?) and runs ahead of Hot Rod as the other mech waits for him. Then he stops and waits with the racer, wincing slightly as the screeching of tires echoes nearby. Rewind said that. YX-939 is really, really not very fast. Also, he's kind of noisy. Splashsplashcrunchsplash goes his vehicle mode scrubbers and tires as he ZOOMS as fast as his little cleaning bot self can go. Which isn't very fast at all. But, look, he knew a shortcut! Through some very small pipes just the right size for disposables! He also did some epic surfing on some waste that no one was able to see. Aw. Out of one of said pipes pops out a whole lot of gunk and... YX-939! He blinks in surprise! Sees Rewind! Becomes SUPER FROWNY! He actually wasn't terribly mad at Rewind at all; as a fellow disposable, he felt a kind of kinship. Maybe Rewind was forced in to it! Hey, he WAS a disposable, he understood how that can go. Still, even further down the way he was, he... Throws one of the disc things at Rewind. What did those DO, anyway? So maybe the police shouldn't have trusted a little cleaning bot with a specialized device like that. They'd figured they shouldn't give them weapons, but it actually wasn't a weapon, really. Though it could be used as one. And the way YX had thrown it at Rewind--well if it -had- hit, it could have sliced him right in half, or cut off a limb. Well it could have cut off his head, too. BUT, fortunately enough for both of them, YX misses Rewind, and the disc just flies past him, spinning like a frisbee. It strikes the wall at the far end of the maintenance junction becoming lodged in a small rut, and a containment field emerges from it, expanding rapidly outward until it fills the entire space--effectively blocking the passage leading into the waste water plant. The officers quickly catch up, pleased to find that the disposable had done his job and done it well. A brief nod of approval is given toward him before they turn towards Hot Rod once again. "Told you you wouldn't get away down here." the lead smirks, his weapon aloft. "Now, turn the fugitive over first, then we'll decide what to do with -you-." Between the squeal as Swivel brakes, YX-939 popping up, the /containment field/, and the added insult of the officers rolling up, Hot Rod's intent to wind up and punch the first face to turn the corner remains just that: in intent. A wish. A fond dream. His fist relaxes at his side. "You haven't identified yourselves. For all I know, you're just another batch of thugs dressed up in borrowed paint. What are your badge numbers? Where's your authorization for arrest?" Hot Rod's tone is habitually defiant, but from the way he's not actually winding up to throw a fight, one might assume he isn't as doubtful of who they are as he pretends to be. "We're just trying to get an injured femme to medical help," he declares in a fit of wounded innocence. WOUNDED. INNOCENCE. "What's this about?" YX-939 stops in surprise as the disc opens up in to a... Containment bubble? ... OH. Right! They were trying to arrest them! It wouldn't be a weapon, right? Oh, and look, officers were nodding and maybe smiling a little at him. AT HIM. He almost swells with pride. YX-939 feels so proud of himself for helping. LOOK, HE'S HELPING. That poor wounded femme. Although Swivel has good brakes, she ends up with her front wheels partially up on the unconscious femme that Hot Rod had set down. There will be evenly space littled dents on her frame from the studs in Swivel's tire. Sheepishly, Swivel transforms back into her root mode and quickly scrambles to her feet, seeming mortified of possibly harming someone who was already in need of medical attention. Her gaze then shifts to Hot Rod, trying to talk his way out of a dubious situation. There is nothinf for her to say, but she gets out and holds a containment disc just in case she needs to quickly block off another exit. Rewind looks in one direction just in time to catch another noise nearby. Maybe one disposable just senses another- for whatever reason, the archivist turns his head just in time to see YX-939 throw... is that DISC at him? Whatever it is, Rewind doesn't wait to find out- he throws himself forward with the power borne of desperation- and avoids having his head cut off. This is good! Not so good? Their escape gets cut off. The small mech pushes himself back up from the much with a slight "ewww" and a shake of his hands before turning to look up at Hot Rod. He edges a bit closer to the larger mech as the forces close in on them and he doesn't know what to say. It's not like he's got any real social standing, or escape plans, or weaponry. Is Hot Rod planning to fight? Indeed, Hot Rod fights back with- the TRUTH. Ok, that works. Rewind nods. "Yes! Totally up-and-up!" He eyes Swivel- and YX- a little warily. Oh, they are definitely pleased with YX. And he -will- get his reward. But for now, the officers just scoff at Hot Rod, and one of them touches something on the side of his chassis. A small hologram of the First Face is projected into the air in front of him, to show his official badge and number. "There ya happy now?" he asks, exasperated. "The fugitive's medical condition is not your responsbility. It will be taken care of. However, she just robbed an energon silo in the southern quadrant -and- then burned it to the ground. Four workers were injured, one killed in the explosion. And you're helping her escape from behing apprehended the way she deserves, how does -that- make you feel? Hm? Now hand her over, or we -will- take her by force." One of the other officers glances at Swivel with the device held ready in her hand. He nods toward another passage, indicating that she ought to block that one, too. In fact -all- of them! "My responsibility or not, I wasn't going to leave anyone hurt without trying to help them." And dropping her twice and leaving her lying around to be run over -- look, never mind those tiny little details. Just focus on the part where Hot Rod tries to help. He exchanges a glance with Rewind, then looks at YX-939 and Swivel. After a moment, he lifts his hands. Picture of innocence. INNOCENCE!!!! It's not a fight he can reasonably win, and trying risks Rewind. He complies by not hindering their attempts to collect her. Defiant compliance. Swivel takes the queues quite promptly and uses the discs to block off all exits except one - the one from which the enforcers are coming. It isn't so much that Swivel is proud of helping like YX-939, but rather afraid of being charged on obstruction of justice by refusing. She'd really rather not be noticed for better or for worse by law enforcement. Those who get noticed, well... alas, it is too late now, and the best solution is compliance, a smile, and not putting herself forward. YX-939 is so happy to be helping. Look at him, he's practically BEAMING. He even holds out the extra discs to the nearest officer. Giving back the extras. LOOK HOW HELPFUL HE IS. But then he hears what the femme is accused of and GASPS. How terrible, how horrid! See, see, he helped take out the BAD LADY. How helpful he is. "Yeah!" Rewind returns the glance and chimes in after Hot Rod. "We're trying to do the /right thing/. And making sure someone lives IS the right thing, isn't it?" He looks over at YX over there just *beaming away* and gives him a look. Fingers to optics, point at the other disposable- then back to fingers to optics. OH YEAH it's ON. The officers look satisfied when Hot Rod finally complies. "Good. Guess you aren't as stupid as you look." He moves to slap stasis cuffs onto the injured fugitive and drag her off of the floor. One of the other enforcers nods and takes the extra discs back from YX. "Thank you. Good work." he compliments, and then he hands the cleaning bot a cred chit with lots of shanix on it. Probably like, more than a few cycles' wage for the little guy. He then moves over to Swivel, and gives her the promised payment as well. Once that's done, the three of them turn to leave, though the lead gives Rewind and Hot Rod a warning glare. "Since you at least complied -eventually- this time, we'll let you off on a warning. But cross us again, and you'll be spending your cycles in a containment cell at Kolkular." And with that, they leave the civilians to themselves. YX-939 looks at the cred chit with all the wonder of a newspark. Money. SO MANY MONEYS. He clings on to that thing as if his entire world had been changed. Hey, maybe it was. He has never had greater joy. The little bot practically toddles over to Swivel. "Did you get one too...?!" An excited whisper, as if speaking too loud will magically disappear it. There is a long moment when Swivel checks the amount she was given, double checks, and triple checks. Looking impressed she tucks away as YX comes over, talking quietly to her. She beams and nods to him. Perhaps she ought to reconsider eavesdropping on customers and reporting. But then Swivel forces the thought away. She needs to be trusted. Honest mechs and femmes are hard to come by in any caste. She brings herself closer to YX-939 and speaks very quietly back to him. "Ya did good." Hot Rod makes a rude gesture at the Enforcers as they leave without particularly waiting until their backs are entirely turned. WHOA LOOK OUT WE'VE GOT A BADASS OVER HERE. He seethes, throwing YX-939 and Swivel matched looks of deep frustration. It takes him a second to work through it and look down at Rewind. "You okay?" he checks. "Earlier, they must've hit you, huh?" Rewind blinks and watches YX get...OMP. That is so TOTALLY not fair. The faceplate conceals that he is just toally GAPING at all this. However, he draws back a little as the Enforcers take the femme away, and he watches with some concern as they do so. He hopes she will be all right. "You think she'll be Ok, Hot Rod?" Then Hot Rod's question draws him back to the here and now. "Oh. Uh, yeah..." He looks down, lifting up a slightly scorched-looking foot. "Got a serious case of hot-foot there." He tries to chuckle at that, but his humor levels are a bit low at the moment. "How about you?" At Swivel's compliment, YX-939 practically GLOWS. He looks at the cred chit in his hands. "I... I am going... To BUY something!" It doesn't quite sound like he knows what that thing is, yet, but, HEY. HE HAS THE ABILITY NOW. "I'm going to buy something NICE." He puts the chit away, still in complete awe and wonder. That frustrated glance is not lost on Swivel, and she arches an optic ridge at it. She then looks to Rewind as he lifts his foot, exposing some scorches. "Oh.... tha dun look much good...." Swivel says with a deep frown, but then she looks at YX-939 again and can't help but smile again. "Mebbe some goodies t'stash fer 'en yer off work... er... d'ya get time off?" Swivel tilts her head, not really knowing what the life of a disposable really is like. Hot Rod hesitates long enough that his eventual answer of, "No," isn't really necessary. He is a mech filled with faith that the justice system will actually deliver justice. Totally. Absolutely. 100%. Rolling his shoulder back with a cautious touch, Hot Rod says, "Well, remember when I said I was going to pull my arm out of my socket? Think it might be an improvement. You okay to walk back?" Rewind looks a bit more subdued... and sighs as he watches the last place they saw the femme taken. "Yeah." He then looks back up towards Hot Rod and nods. "And... yes. I should be good." He turns to start heading back, then stops and places a small hand on Hot Rod's leg. Because that's what he can reach. It's meant to be comforting. "You tried, Hot Rod. We tried. It's... all we can do." YX-939 gives Swivel a shrug. "We have rest hours." For recharging and eating, most likely, and not much else. "Oh, maybe I can get the guys some of the nice energon...!" Swivel peers at Hot Rod and Rewind. She glances down, holds up a finger mouthing 'one moment' to YX-939 and trots over to Hot Rod and Rewind, holding out the cred chit. "'Ere. Ya 'serve this more'n I do. It ain't 'enyone 'oo'll go outter 'eir way t'elp an injured sort w'out knowin' 'eir story. I know I kinner got in yer way, but I knows ya sparks were in ther right place." Expression softening, Hot Rod takes the comfort like someone greedy for it. He doesn't smile, and his expression doesn't lighten, but he sheds some of the weight across his shoulders. "Yeah. Next time, we'll do better." He casts another look back at YX-939 and Swivel. He looks disappointed rather than so bitter as he did a moment ago. When Swivel trots over, disappointment blanks into surprise, then confusion. "/What/," is nothing like the 'thanks' he should say before running off with it. "You just stood there and--. No!" They don't need shanix. They have RIGHTEOUSNESS. His hands curl into fists at his side. He definitely doesn't reach for the chit. Rewind nods to Hot Rod, trying to look- and feel- encouraging. then he blinks in surprise as Swivel offers them the cred chit. He stares in as much confusion as Hot Rod, glancing down to the chit, back to Hot Rod, back to Swivel's face. And he feels... well, he's not sure what he feels. It's an awkward moment. It doesn't really make him feel much better, but he knows Swivel is trying to make up for it somehow. Finally, the small mech sighs and shakes his head a little. "...Uh, thanks...Swivel, was it? But.... I think we're gonna pass on that right now." His voice sounds a bit tired- sounds even smaller than his already diminutive frame. YX-939 stares at Swivel as she walks off and... Offers the chit to the two criminals. He just stares, shocked. Doesn't really look like he knows what to do, but he isn't offering his own chit. Nope. It's more money that he'll ever have in one time, he's KEEPING it. ... And he starts to sidle away; he needed to put it someplace SUPER SAFE... Now it is Swivel's turn to be confused. She tilts her head, peering with very large optics. "I... see..." Swivel says, withdrawing her offer, looking something like a beaten puppy. Nope. Not gonna feel bad. Not gonna -- argh!! Hot Rod turns around before the puppy look can have any further effect on him than a kick of guilt. "Let's get going," he says to Rewind, then strides off square-shouldered and stiff-backed. Rewind feels bad for Swivel, but he feels worse for that femme they authorities took away. The archivist looks sadly at Swivel before glancing up to Hot Rod and nodding. And he follows without another word said.